Flush-task bulb



J, W. BOZEMAN.

FLUSH TANK BULB. APPLICATION FILE-5D APR. 21-. 1919.

1,1311, Patentai Aug 12, 1919;

awmmioz JOHN W. BOZEMAN, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

misuse V Specification of Letters Patent.

reserve curios.

FLUSH-TANK BULB.

Application filed April 21, 1919. Serial No. 291, 57.

the bulbs, commonly used'as valves for the.

. outletsof flush tanks. Heretofore, bulbs of seat, etc,

this character that'have been in general use have been spherical and in time, the suction, pressure of the water, shape of the valve has distorted such bulbs, weakening-t-he seat engaging surfaces thereof, and causing leakage, and when such distortion takes place, the lower end of the bulb oi'ten prevents proper discharge of water from the overflow pipe of the flush tank into the bowl.

One of the foremost objects of my invention is to provide a bulb which will notbe distorted by continued use and which will therefore be of service for a much longer time.

A further object is to provide a bulb which is applicable to practically all of the seats now in common use and one which will effectively prevent leakage regardless of the form of seat upon which it is used, the device being therefore of particular advantage for the use of plumbers in making repairs. It is now necessary to cariybulbs of different sizes to meet the conditions which may be encountered, whereas carrying one of the improved bulbs will be ample, due to its I adaptability to numerous sizes and shapes of seats.

A- still further ob3ect 15 to prov de a bulb which will in no mennerobstruct the passage of water from the overflow of the flush tank to the bowl.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel construction of the bulb hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bulb con; structed in accordance with my invention showing the application thereof to one of 'the well known seats.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lower end of the bulb.

Figs. i and 5 are side elevations of the will bulb showing its application to different forms of seats.

-. Patented Aug. 12,1919

The improved bulb is hollow as usual and consists otupper and lower halves-1 and 2 which are integrally joined, said upper half being provided with the usual nut or the like 3 to receive the lift rod 4, while the lower half is vented at 5 for the well known reasons.

The upper half 1 is of truly cone shape with the exception of its upper end which may be slightly flattened to accommodate the nut or the like 3', and said half is provided with a relatively thick side wall 6 which will yield to some extent but will at the some time be more or less rigid to prevent distortion from the pressure of the water in the Byconstructing the bulb in the manner shown and described, it is readily usable on practically any of the numerous types of valve seats now commonly employed; In i I Fig. 1, the bulb is shown upon a seat Shaving a straight'bevcl with which the wall 8 of the half 2 snugly contacts throughout the width of the bevel; in Fig. 4, the seat 10 is beveled and at the same time slightly concave, but the bulb fits with sufficient snugent ness to prevent any possibility of leakagc;f and in Fig. 5, the seat 11 has a straight bevel but is more nearly vertical and narrower than in Fig. 1 but nevertheless. the bulb seats tightly and it will not permit leakage. It be observed that the lower end 7, due to its particularshape, does not obstruct the outlet port 12 from the overflow pipe 13 and since the novel shape of the entire device prevents distortion thereof even after months of use, said port will at no time be obstructed as by the bulbs now in use after distortionthereof. Not only is the shape of the lower half of the improved bulb essential, but the shape and thickened wall of the upper half 1 of paramount importance, since it prevents stretching or elongation of the bulb by the upward pull of the rod 4 against the weight of the water and the suction of the bulb against its seat.

From the foregoing, takenin connection ,with the accompanying drawing, it will be' bull) end when this surface is offtheolojectii is-to Whichvthese bulbs are subjected. Siiice, excelient results have been obtained from the exact construction shown,

I piefer to follow such construction with the exception that any suitable evioe may he provided at 3 for operating means. 7 v

I, have found that the best results are ohtainable when the "peripheral seat engaging wall-0f the half "8. is} located at aphrofiinetely 30 degrees to the vertical axis of the i'elatively wide, preferably of approximately half the height of the device. By this'engulei' dis position of the seat engaging surface and its attaching the bulb to its unusual Width I am enabled to fit any of the nine sizes and'types of valve by menu featuring my improveclbulb in only three sizes; 7 This is of advantage to the tmde in iiiimeious' Ways and constitutes en important advance in the art, since it eliminates carrying in stool: a special size bulb for each size and design of seat and does not necessitate that plumbers and -others shall carry a greet number of repairs.

1 claim:

The herein (lescrihed one-piece rubber flush tank bulb including an. upper rela Lively thick Walled half to Withstand the Water ressure in the flush tank and the strain in uiiseeting the valve, end. a lower inverted frusto-oonical half provided with. a comparatively thin Well for sell? adaptation to numerous sizes, curveturee and hevels of valve seats in general use, seet' engagingsurface. of saitl lower half being positioned at substantially thirty de grees to the vertical axis and being relatively cleep to adapt it-for seating on a. plurality of clifierent sized valve seats,

my hai d. i r JGHN; W. BGZENAN.

bulbswhen sent out to make the peripheral in testimony ii hereof I have hereunto set 

